Gaza, Palestine – Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said on Friday that it will not provide lists of its staff to Israeli authorities as a condition for maintaining access to the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. The organization stated that it has not received sufficient guarantees for the safety of its field teams.
MSF, a major supporter of hospitals and medical facilities in Gaza, explained that it is one of 37 international organizations that Israel has demanded this month cease their activities in the Palestinian territories unless they comply with new registration rules. These rules include sharing detailed information about their staff.
Aid organizations have said that sharing such sensitive information could expose humanitarian workers to serious risks in the context of the ongoing two-year war, which has resulted in the deaths and injuries of hundreds of aid workers. The Israeli Ministry of Diaspora Affairs, which oversees the registration process, has not yet responded to requests for comment.
Israel had previously justified these measures as aimed at preventing aid from reaching Palestinian armed groups. Aid organizations, however, denied any widespread diversion of aid from its humanitarian purpose.
Doctors Without Borders indicated that it had expressed its willingness last week to share a partial list of Palestinian and international staff members who voluntarily consent to the disclosure of their data. This list would be used solely for administrative purposes and would not jeopardize the safety of the teams. The organization also retains full control over the management of medical supplies.
In a statement, the organization said, “Despite repeated efforts, it has become clear in recent days that we have not reached an understanding with the Israeli authorities regarding the concrete guarantees required to protect our teams.”
The organization warned that any ban on its operations in Gaza and the West Bank would have devastating consequences for humanitarian services amidst the escalating crisis. Similarly, the Ministry of Health in Gaza announced its refusal to share data on healthcare workers with partner organizations, arguing that doing so would threaten their personal safety.
